As we start a new school year at STMC, we are introduced not only to the incoming Grade 8’s, but also to some new members of the staff and faculty. This year, we have 6 new faces on the team.
Please join us in welcoming:
Ariel Bejer is looking forward to teaching Religion and French at STMC. She was born in the Philippines, raised in Surrey and graduated from Fleetwood Park Secondary. At Simon Fraser University, she majored in French and the Humanities, and then worked towards a Bachelor of Education. In 2020, Ariel completed her practicum and began working at her practicum school, Panorama Ridge Secondary teaching French, Social Studies, and Dance. She then taught at Notre Dame Regional Secondary, where she was also a campus minister. Currently, Ariel is completing post-graduate studies at St. Mark’s College at the University of British Columbia.
Ariel’s goal as an educator is to curate an engaging, effective, efficient and Christ-centered environment where students can sharpen their skills needed for lifelong and life-wide learning. Outside the classroom, you might find Ariel hiking one of BC’s beautiful peaks, reading in a park, or walking her 13-year-old forever-puppy, Theodore.
Natalie Castro is excited to be at St. Thomas More Collegiate as an Education Assistant. She is an alumna of STMC and is glad to be back “home”.
Natalie has worked with children ages three to nineteen and has thoroughly enjoyed co-educating and learning from them over the last fifteen years. She has a knack for gardening, plants, nature, and anything outdoors and will take the opportunity to teach outside the classroom when possible.
Outside of school, Natalie likes to be outdoors; Natalie enjoys activities that range from climbing a mountain to traveling to a local beach to paddle boarding or kayaking. She also enjoys reading, dancing, and lifting weights.
Natalie looks forward to sharing and creating an inclusive environment for all students to have a positive memory of their high school experience.
Christin MacLellan is thrilled to be joining the STMC family to teach Band. For the past 10 years, Christin was the Director of Education for the Vancouver Symphony and Director of the Concert Wind Ensemble at the UBC School of Music. She previously taught band in Winnipeg and Gimli, Manitoba. Originally from Long Island, New York, she completed her undergraduate degree in Music Education at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia and her Masters in Music Education and Wind Conducting at Indiana University. She is an accomplished flutist and conductor, and currently serves as Associate Conductor of the Pacific Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Christin has a passion for music education advocacy. She was a founding director and president of the Coalition for Music Education in BC and currently serves on the board of the BC Coalition as well as the Coalition for Music Education in Canada.
Outside the classroom, Christin loves spending time with her family. Her husband, Peder, plays tuba in the VSO and they have two daughters (3.5 years and 11 months). She loves cooking, going to concerts, hiking, snowshoeing, and running.
Christin believes strongly in the power of music to bring people together and deepen our humanity. Her goal as a teacher is to help students understand how making and experiencing music can be a lifelong gift as well as a necessary part of society and culture.
Jake Rogalski is excited for the opportunity to contribute to the STMC community. After having served as a Teacher on Call at STMC in 2020-21, Jake attended UBC where he has been completing his B.Ed. (Social Studies). A native of Toronto, Jake attended St. Michael’s College School before completing his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History from the University of Western Ontario. He went on to complete his Master of Arts in Hospitality and Tourism Management in London, England. Jake spent nearly 30 years in the hotel, restaurant and travel industries and the last decade as an operations consultant working with top restaurant operators in Canada and the U.S.
Throughout his professional career, Jake has been most passionate about his roles as an instructor, trainer and team-builder and hopes to continue to inspire his students to discover their own passions and develop to their full potential. Outside the classroom, Jake has enjoyed coaching Track & Field, Basketball, and Soccer, and spending time with his family as he continues to discover British Columbia. Jake’s passions include hiking, golfing, music, history, and all things Star Wars.
Jake hopes to make an impact in the STMC community as a teacher and in his support of extra-curricular activities.
Marisa Schille is very excited to join the STMC family this fall. Marisa was born in Saskatchewan and lived throughout a lot of western Canada as she grew up. She graduated from high school in Cranbrook, BC and received her Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Alberta in 2005. She received her Education Degree from SFU in 2007 and completed her teaching practicum in Maple Ridge at MRSS. In 2012, she graduated with a Master of Arts in Leadership and Administration from Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA. She has been a teacher at Archbishop Carney for the past 15 years, teaching Chemistry 11 and 12, Science 8 and 9, Math 9 and Workplace Math 11. Marisa has enjoyed bringing a love and appreciation of science to her students and is excited at the prospect of getting to do this in the science classrooms at STMC this year.
In her spare time, which there is not much of, as she has three young kids, Marisa enjoys gardening and reading. She also enjoys running and going to spin class. This summer Marisa and her family enjoyed a road trip to Saskatchewan, a trip to Gambier Island and lots of time swimming and splashing in their backyard pool.
Carlo Trentadue comes to us most recently from Vancouver College, where he taught middle school Humanities and served as the Grade 9 level coordinator. Carlo also passionately assisted in Campus Ministry initiatives, and has coached Football for a number of years. Prior to his teaching in BC, Carlo taught and coached in Ontario, the USA, and in many locations abroad such as Costa Rica and Belize. A traveler at heart, Carlo relishes the opportunity to travel and experience all the beauty the world has to offer.
Originally from Toronto, Carlo attended the University of Toronto and studied English, History, and Media Communications in an effort to attain his teaching certification from Ontario Tech University. He proudly played football for the Varsity Blues. In 2018, Carlo relocated to Vancouver. He enrolled in the University of British Columbia’s Masters of Educational Technology program and completed his post-graduate studies in 2021. He recently married his long-time girlfriend and they have spent their summer in Greece.
Coaching Football is one of Carlo’s varied passions. He credits his involvement in coaching youth sports as the catalyst to pursue the vocation of teaching. While he has been a part of many championship teams, Carlo believes that youth sports provides students the opportunity to learn about the successes and failures in life, how to overcome adversity, and ultimately, how to build character.
Carlo is ecstatic about joining the STMC community.
